Marlins lose Stowers, another OF for significant time. The roster fallout

The Marlins, who already faced questions about the quality of their every-day lineup, will begin the regular season without the most productive player from their 2025 lineup. Outfielder Kyle Stowers, who made the 2025 All Star team during a breakout season, will begin the season on the injured list because of a Grade 1 right hamstring strain sustained in a spring training game on Friday. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Stowers won’t play for at least three to four weeks. He will be re-assessed at that point. Speedy outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who had emerged as a front-runner to make the opening day roster because of his speed and defensive acumen in center field, also will begin the season on the injured list because of a high-grade oblique strain, an injury also sustained in that game on Friday. Ruiz will miss six to eight weeks, McCullough said. Those injuries suddenly created two unexpected roster spots. Griffin Conine will fill one of them; he will be on the roster when Miami opens the season at home against Colorado at 7:10 p.m. Friday. It’s unclear what position player will fill the other spot. Stowers figures to be replaced by a combination of Conine, Heriberto Hernandez and perhaps Connor Norby, who played two games in the outfield in recent days. The injuries to Stowers and Ruiz leaves these 12 position players (and one other to-be-determined player) on the opening day roster: rookie outfielder Owen Caissie (a starter), Jakob Marsee (starter in center field), Xavier Edwards (starter at second base), Otto Lopez (starter at shortstop), Agustin Ramirez and Liam Hicks (the two catchers), Chris Morel (expected to be the primary first baseman), Graham Pauley and Norby (who are battling for playing time at third base, DH and elsewhere), Hernandez (designated hitter and outfielder), Conine (can play outfield or first base and DH) and Javier Sanoja (ace utility man who can play practically everywhere). This is the third injury setback for Stowers since last August; he missed significant time with a grade 1 left oblique strain that landed him on the injured list on Aug. 17. He also missed 15 days with a hamstring injury earlier in camp; he aggravated the same hamstring during Friday’s game, just his third game back after the initial hamstring injury. Stowers was a revelation last season, hitting a walk-off homer to beat the Pirates on opening day and closing the season at .268 (.368 on base average) with 25 homers and 73 RBI in 117 games and 457 plate appearances. Stowers’ injury amplifies uneasiness about the Marlins’ lineup entering the season. The Marlins seemingly can count on production from Marsee, Lopez and Edwards based on their 2025 production. But Morel, who will begin the season as the primary first baseman, hit just .196 and .219 the past two seasons and hasn’t hit effectively since 2023 with the Cubs. He entered Sunday’s spring finale hitting just .150 (6 for 40) this spring, with one extra base hit. Ramirez had a solid rookie season (.231, .287 on base, 21 homers, 67 RB in 136 games) but is 2 for 22 this spring. Pauley, an excellent defender, hit well last August but just .224 overall. He’s hitting .250 (6 for 24) this spring; he has played mostly DH this spring because of a forearm injury but is now healthy enough to play third. The Marlins are hoping that Cassie, the top Cubs prospect acquired in the Edward Cabrera deal, can make a smooth transition to the majors after hitting .286 (.386 on base) with 22 homers and 55 RBI in 99 games at Triple A Iowa last season. He was 5 for 26 with a homer in a brief stint for the Cubs last season. Caissie is 2 for 13 for the Marlins this spring but was 7 for 17 (with a homer) for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. The Marlins’ pitching staff is nearly set. The rotation, in order, will be Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Max Meyer, Chris Paddack and Janson Junk. That leaves eight pitchers for the bullpen. Closer Peter Fairbanks; right-handers Tyler Phillips, Calvin Faucher, Anthony Bender, Lake Bachar and left-hander John King will be six of them. Left-handers Andrew Nardi and Cade Gibson and right-hander Michael Peterson have been competing for two final spots. Braxton Garrett, who had been competing with Junk for the No. 5 rotation job, will join top prospects Thomas White (coming back from an injury) and Robby Snelling, as well as Dax Fulton and potentially Ryan Gusto, in a talented rotation at Triple A Jacksonville.